Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated a training program for the staff of the State House on Monday, focusing on the digitalization of workflow processes aimed at streamlining workflows, eradicating paper-based bureaucracy, and cultivating a tech-savvy workforce.
During the training programme’s opening, Shettima, represented by Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, emphasized the President’s commitment to digitalizing key economic sectors and public services, as stated by the Vice President’s spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha.
The Vice President stated that the objective is to utilize the potential of machine learning and artificial intelligence to revolutionize the entire public service sector “can’t be actualized unless those tasked with executing the tasks are in tune with reality.”
Shettima also noted that the prevalent paper-based bureaucracy in the civil service is incompatible with the needs of the current era.
- “It falls upon us to serve as the conduit to a system redefined by the frontiers of machine learning and artificial intelligence, a system that calls upon us to utilise our natural intelligence to its fullest extent, and a system that challenges us to compete to build an efficient workforce that reflects the dynamic realities of our time.”
- “The status quo is no longer tenable; the world as we once knew it is undergoing a profound transformation. Like us, policymakers in other parts of the world are embracing digital technology as a catalyst for restructuring operational processes and streamlining decision-making.
- “We are fortunate to have a President who has declared that Nigeria will never be behind schedule in adopting disruptive technologies to improve our service standards, optimise expenditure, and accelerate responsiveness to the needs of our foremost customers—the Nigerian people. This revolution begins with us,” the Vice President said.
Shettima assured that the training would prepare staff to grasp the importance of digitalizing government processes, manage sensitive government information properly, and effectively respond to Nigerians requesting information from the government.
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In his welcome speech, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary in the State House, expressed gratitude for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support for the training program.
He highlighted the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to enhance public service productivity through the digitalization of the workforce and operations.
Adebiyi emphasized that the President approved the training program in alignment with this vision, noting its significant start at the State House, where the President’s vision is implemented and communicated to the broader Nigerian public service to boost productivity and service quality.
The objective is to initiate this digital transformation in the State House and then expand it throughout the civil service to enhance service delivery and productivity.
On his part, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), noted the importance of information management in national security and governance.
He outlined the training’s goals: to enhance skills for innovation in information processing, storage, preservation, and retrieval, and to modernize manual systems for better organization and service delivery, leveraging information technology.